


whatever you do, don’t rock the boat

by delorange



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, M/M, So yeah, TW: Panic Attacks, Yachts, also SECRETS!, but that is subject to change, callum is a chef, many Secrets, only mild atm, the mitchells are a crime family, the mitchells are loaded
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:33:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22838647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delorange/pseuds/delorange
Summary: callum’s new job as a chef on a yacht is... different, and that’s before you even meet the family he’s working for.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 26
Kudos: 106





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> okay i know this is my second post already today but i need to know what people think of this.
> 
> it’s not super long, just give it a read and drop a comment if you like? just so i know if i’d be wasting my time and people aren’t enjoying it, much appreciated x
> 
> all mistakes are my own, enjoy! :)
> 
> also it’s hard to tag without giving too much away, see I desperately want to tell you all exactly how this is going to pan out, but at the same time i want suspense, ya know? so bear with me, keep in mind this is just the first chapter hehe
> 
> also also if the tenses are abit fucked, ignore it pretty please okay bye x

Callum wrings his hands in frustration. The old man in front of him would just not budge. "Do you know Mick Carter? Look, just get Mick down here, he knows-"

A woman passing by inside the yacht stops. Callum recognises her from the tabloids as Sharon Mitchell, Phil Mitchell's newest scandal and one of his new bosses. Heavily pregnant, she waddles over and lays a hand on the old man's arm. "Mick the bartender? Are you the new chef he recommended? Charlie, Codie, um..."

Despite the butchering of his name, Callum smiles widely, grateful that now he can just get on the sodding boat. "Callum, yes, Mrs Mitchell, thank you."

She smiles warmly, but there's a bit of an edge to it. "Ah, we've been expecting ya! Come, follow me, leave ya case with Harry, here." Before he knows it he's being swept into Sharon's arms and carted off upstairs onto the main deck, all his possessions left to a man he met not 5 minutes ago and who already took a disliking to him. 

Nevertheless, he smears a smile on his face as they emerge back into the sun. The yacht is already moving, no time wasted in getting off. It's sunny, but not especially warm, and a group of around 4 are sat around the pool with coats on. "Phil! Here's the new chef!"

A bald man looks around for the voice, and for a minute Callum shivers. Phil Mitchell immediately reminds him of his own father, fat and bald, with an expression that can only be described as utterly gormless. It already puts him off, but he keeps his smile up as Sharon leads him over to the pool.

"Alright, mate?" Phil sticks his hand out for Callum to shake, but makes no effort to stand from his sun lounger. "You come highly recommended."

Callum's eyes are drawn away from Phil by a mocking laugh. "I'll bet he does." Ben Mitchell looks him up and down with an appreciative lick of the lips. Phil throws a look of pure disgust his way, that Callum just catches, and Ben sort of shrinks back into himself, offering nothing else by the means of an introduction. A younger man, who Callum thinks is Keanu Taylor, takes the opportunity to clear his throat and stand up, clapping Callum on his back.

"I'm Keanu, mate, nice to meet ya. That's-" He gestures to a woman asleep, Louise Mitchell, of course, and grimaces. "Sorry, we have a new baby, Lou isn't sleeping too well." Said baby lets out a wail, like she knew she was being talked about, from the pram wheeled next to Louise's sun lounger. Keanu scoops her up, and Callum can't help but feel like he's intruding. 

Sharon and Phil had started bickering about something or other, but when they eventually notice that there's nobody else talking, they fall silent. Phil looks up at Callum, stood there like a lemon, and stretches his leg out just enough to kick Ben. "Oi, take him to his room, show him the kitchens, give him a bit of a tour, yeah?"

Ben groans, throwing his hands up in the air. "Why me?" Callum tries not to be too offended. 

Phil's voice drops so low it could be described as murderous. "Cos I asked you, that's why." Ben gets to his feet, effing and blinding like he's going for the record, and walks straight past Callum without so much as a backwards glance. Callum takes this as a warm, friendly invitation to follow, and rolls his eyes when Ben only speeds up.

The tour is quick and unremarkable on Ben's end, but the yacht itself is unlike anything Callum's seen before, far too big for your average millionaires. He wondered how rich the Mitchell's really were. 

"Very, mate, don't you worry ya pretty little head with the numbers." 

"Oh! I didn't mean-" A dismissive wave of the hand from Ben shut Callum right up. His face was unreadable, so Callum did the only thing he could, took it as a good sign. Again. Ben seemed to have broken out of whatever box Phil forced him into, his natural cocky attitude returning.

Finally they reach a door, on Deck B. Ben tries the handle, and it opens easily. He sighs, almost looking relieved. "We're docking in Dover in about an hour, an’ we’re staying overnight, so make ya self at home, I guess ." Callum spies his case in the corner; it's stood next to a mini fridge. 

"I thought we were going the Mediterranean?"

"We are, dope, but we gotta do a pick up. Won't be down here until tomorrow, though." Ben ushers Callum in and turns around. "Might fucking die if we don't." Callum has a sneaky suspicion he wasn't supposed to hear that. He briefly wonders what they are picking up, but then Ben's walking away, and he realises he has one last question.

"Aye, Ben? Point me in the direction of the bar?"

Ben spins around with a smirk. "Bit early, innit?"

"No, no, the bartender, Mick?" Callum huffs, crossing his arms with a frown, not in the mood to entertain Ben's banter. Ben's jaw slacks a little and his eyes glaze over, for no more than a second, then he's back in it and smirking that bloody smirk that Callum can't take his eyes off. 

"On the top, back end." Ben winks, and Callum wonders if he's missing something. 

"Thanks?" But Ben has already disappeared down the hall. Callum doesn't wait to follow his directions, and makes his way back up to the top deck. He smiles when he sees Mick busying himself behind the bar and knocks on the door to alert him to his presence. 

"Halfway! Mate, good to see ya!" Mick looks up in surprise, but his face splits into a grin and he makes his way around the bar to hug Callum. "How's it going?"

"Mate, I-"

He's interrupted by a high-pitched shriek. "Callum! I'm so sorry for before, I'm just knackered all the time with Peggy! I'm Louise, I thought we needed to meet properly, Ben said I'd find ya in here." She notices there's another person in the room. "Hi Mick." She gives a little wave. 

"Oh, um, hi, I'm Callum. Obviously." After a moment of awkward silence, he adds, "Your baby's gorgeous."

Mick shoots an incredulous look at the ground, and he quickly takes hold of Louise's shoulders. He steers her towards the door and has to physically hold it shut to stop her bursting back through. "Thanks, Louise, we'll see ya later, yeah?"

He turns back to Callum, who's staring on dumbly. "'Your baby's gorgeous'? Seriously?"

"I panicked! I hate silence like that!"

"Whatever, mate, but ya can't say stupid stuff in front of the Mitchell's. It'll get ya killed." Mick says seriously. 

Callum laughs. "They're just stories spun by shit like the Sun. Anyways, I don't think an intended compliment will set them on the warpath, however, um, inappropriate." Mick presses his lips together and doesn't say anything else.

He lifts a finger, and returns behind the bar. He bends down and rummages underneath the till before producing a bottle of whisky, presenting it to Callum like an Oscar. Upon closer inspection, even Callum can tell it is a very expensive bottle, and before he can protest Mick is cracking it open and pouring two glasses. 

"To your new job, and, by extension of that, me!" He exclaims with a chuckle. 

Callum clinks his glass against Mick's, "To Mick!" They down it in one, and Mick is refilling the glasses. 

After a couple more (generally) consumed considerably slower, Callum is tipsy enough to bring up the only forbidden subject between the two mates. "Seen Ollie before you left?" He's beyond grateful his words come out relatively gentle. 

Mick's smile fades. "Yeah, we had a day out, just me an' him, then we went for a meal with Lee and Nance. We had a well good day." A ghost of the smile remains as he recounts their day in more detail, and when he is finished, Callum persists down the path of uncomfortable questions, much to his own surprise. 

"Good, good... and Linda?" Callum shifts on his barstool. 

"She's just the same as when you last saw her. Sod's law, she managed to pull herself together on the only day I hoped she'd fall apart, eh?" He laughs tersely. "The appeal is in a month. I'm flying back for it from Rome, I think."

"Okay." Callum nods, but his head just continues to bob as he carries on. "Anything you need, mate, I'm here."

Mick nods at him with a sad smile. "Thanks, Halfway." They spend a little longer catching up before Callum decides he should probably make a move, unpack and stuff, but then the door swings open again. 

"My dad wants a word with Callum." Ben looks even more moody than before, if that was possible and Callum has a snarky remark all prepared, but Mick shakes his head, almost imperceptibly, out of the corner of Callum's eye, so he keeps it to himself. 

"Okay. See ya later, mate," he manages to Mick, through gritted teeth. He follows Ben out of the bar with an eye roll, at which Mick has to stifle a laugh. The family have cleared off the top deck now, the weather growing colder as they move further out to sea, and Callum's nerves grow and grow as they weave through the boat, down corridors and up stairs.

Ben knocks on a door, and takes a step back. When Phil calls, Callum stumbles in, a little bewildered, and looks back at Ben for any kind of support, not that he was expecting any. Sure enough, he merely gestures at the chair across from Phil. He sits in it, wiping his clammy hands on his pants. "Afternoon, sir."

"Phil will do, mate. I just wanted to let ya know that when we dock in Lisbon in a few days, we're hosting a bit of a party. You've got until then to produce your menu and order the food to the harbour in Lisbon." Phil barely looks up at him, never mind meeting his eyes. 

"Okay, so, any, like, dietary requirements? Or anything you want specially included? Or excluded?" Callum's conscious he's on the way to rambling, so he nips it in the bud, despite having way more questions. 

"Nah, mate, do whatever you want." Phil stares straight through Callum, "Think of it as a chance to prove yourself to us. That's all." Phil's gaze drops back to a piece of paper of his desk, clearly done with Callum.

"Got it. Thanks Phil." As soon as he turns around the smile drops and he grabs Ben's arm. "What should I do? You gotta help me!"

"I don't gotta do anything. Work it out, Cal." Then Ben was off, yet again, power walking away from Callum. Cal. He likes the nickname, as fleeting as it was. It sounded good from Ben's lips. A nice change from the usual crap he'd spurted just in the short time they knew each other. 

Callum returns to his room to get a head start on his menu before his first proper day on the job begins.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> there’s an unexpected delivery, and callum starts to see ben in a new light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> definitely going for this fic! tried to focus on the actual quality of my writing for once, instead of just trying to get it finished and published, not that you can probably tell... oops
> 
> anyway, enjoy! :)

"Alright, mate?" Callum looks up in surprise - Keanu leans on the metal counter as the hash browns finish up in the deep fat fryer. 

"Hey, its on it's way, sorry." He's aware the Mitchell's are waiting, and after Mick's warnings yesterday, however fallacious he thinks they are, he's doesn't want to give them any reason to have a go. 

"Nah, mate, I ain't came for that, I just came for a chat." He hops onto the metal counter and Callum doesn't have to strength to tell him he'd just cleaned it. He remains skeptical of Keanu's reasons for coming to him, but he pretends to take a genuine interest when he opens his mouth to speak. 

"Phil told ya about Lisbon?" Callum nods. Keanu leans forward, like he's sharing a secret. "I'll give ya a tip then: Ben absolutely refuses to eat seafood, but Phil loves it, make sure ya have options. Oh, and Lou's favourite food is potato wedges, try an' get them in it."

Callum's mouth hangs agape. He doesn't have to fake interest now. "Thanks, mate, really appreciate it."

"No problem. This smells amazing, by the way."

"It's just breakfast mate, fried eggs don't take Michelin stars." He downplays it with a bashful smile. Keanu nods vacantly with a bit of a bemused chuckle, and he's off. Callum quickly plates up and some other staff come to deliver the food to the family. 

He gets the prep done for lunch while he's in the kitchen too, then he pulls his piece of paper from his pocket, the one with the scribblings for the menu. He makes some amendments as the Mitchell's plates are delivered back to the kitchen and he washes them up as best as he can while he's still trying to write. 

"Good at this cooking lark, ain't ya?" Another member of the family sneaks up on him, and this time it's Ben. He finds it a little strange they all keep coming to speak to him, but Callum humours Ben nevertheless.

"I'd hope so too, otherwise I'm in the wrong profession, ain't I?" Ben peers past him at the piece of paper by the sink. 

"Seafood? Ew." He scans the menu a little more shamelessly. "And chicken. And... potato wedges?" He narrows his eyes. "So who spilled the beans? Because there's no way you did that on your own. Louise? Sharon, maybe?"

"No one, honestly, I-"

Sharon bursts into the room, almost on cue, waving a phone. "I got a text!" Ben rolls his eyes at her cheap attempt at a Love Island reference, where Callum chuckles lightly. "It's yours, actually, from Jay." Ben crosses the room and takes the phone, his eyes lighting up. 

"Thanks, see ya Callum," he mumbles, and follows Sharon down the hall, furiously punching in a text with a big smile on his face. 

Callum tinkers with the menu for a few more minutes before returning to his room, with plans to call Stuart. On the way (or, at least, what he hopes is the way), the sound of a heavy door opening stops him, and he hides around a corner as a young family come into view. 

"Daddy!" Callum almost screws his neck off to get a better view at the girl behind the word, and he sees a little blonde girl running towards Ben. She throws herself into his arms, and she's looking at him like he hung the moon and the stars. 

"Hello, princess! Did ya have a good time?"

"Yes daddy, it was brilliant! Mummy and Uncle Jay took me on a little ferry!" Ben laughs, and it's the first genuine smile Callum's seen from him. He doesn't recognise the young family, which is surprising, considering the Mitchells are in the papers every other day with a new story scraped from the dregs. 

He doesn't have long to ponder, as Ben and the other three are walking towards him, so he sets off in the other direction, begging Ben won't bring attention to him. "Callum!"

He turns around, mentally scolding himself for getting caught. He hopes it doesn't read like that, but one look at Ben's face tells him otherwise. "This is the new chef, Callum. Callum, this is Lola, Jay, and this little cheeky one here, is Lexi."

The man, Jay, pulls him in and claps him on the back, and he catches the woman, Lola, look him up and down, then shoot Ben a smirk. He doesn't catch Ben's reaction, but he can almost feel the colossal eye roll, and he can definitely hear the sigh. 

"Nice to meet you all." He smiles and leans in to kiss Lola cheek. There's a cough, and Lexi is frowning at Callum.

"Where's my hug?" she implores. 

"Lex, don't be rude!"

"No, it's okay." He lifts Lexi onto his hip, and she giggles wildly. He catches another shared look between Ben and Lola and this time it sprouts an uneasiness in his stomach. 

Lexi is pried off him by Ben, and Callum is hastily dismissed. 

*

There's a knock at his door. When he opens it, Ben looks tired and Lexi is bouncing off the walls. "Daddy said we can bake!"

"No, Lexi, I said you can nicely ask Callum if he would help us bake." She shrugs and turns back to Callum expectantly. He's a little confused, but agrees. It's part of the job, he supposes.

In the kitchen, he selects a few cookbooks for Lexi and Ben to pick from, watching from the side as they pour over the pages. Every so often, Ben would stop on one, "This one, princess?"

Lexi would shake her head, "No, coffee cake is gross!" and she'd turn her attention back to the book. 

And then, rather unexpectedly, Ben would lock eyes with Callum and a little smile would grow on his face. "Ah, sorry, I forgot." Callum couldn't help but smile back, Ben's soft blue eyes lighting up in a way Callum hadn't noticed the previous day. He hadn't noticed a lot of things, like the way his smile always started small, like he was trying to hide it, before it stretched across his entire face. 

This happens a few times with various different desserts, and Callum makes a mental note of them all to include in his menu. Finally, Lexi holds one up. "Can we do this one, Callum?" He prays for it to be something simple before he looks at it, and- no. She picks chocolate soufflé. 

"This one's quite hard-" Lexi's face drops, and Callum quickly continues, "but we can try, if you want?"

"Yay!" She leaps off her stool and does a lap, ending in front of Callum with a sickly sweet smile. "So," she begins. "How do I do it?"

They get all the ingredients out, and Callum knows he should be watching Lexi but he can't seem to keep his eyes off of Ben. It's like Lexi being here has given him a new lease of life, and this Ben is a far cry from the sulky, snarky one he met yesterday. Callum's actually finding that he rather likes this Ben. 

They weigh the ingredients a little haphazardly and hope a few extra grams here and there won't make a huge difference, and by a few they mean a lot, but who's counting? They don't even get to combining the ingredients before Lexi accidentally knocks into Callum, sending a bowl flying. 

A spray of flour hits Ben's arm, and he turns to look at Callum with a thunderous scowl. 

"Sorry, Ben, I didn't-" Ben surprises him by scooping a handful of the mixture up and chucking it at Callum, square in the chest. 

Now he's smirking evilly, and Lexi cackles, picking two tiny handfuls up and throwing them into the air, covering the three of them. 

Bags of flour are swiped, and soon enough they are just getting tipped over Ben and Lexi's heads. Not Callum's, because he's too tall for them to reach, but when he bends over to get more ammunition, Ben pulls Lexi onto his shoulders and points at Callum with a tiny laugh. When he stands up to his full height, Lexi dumps a full bag on his head, and they all are laughing hysterically. It certainly didn't feel like 'part of the job'.

"Wha- oh my god." Three powdery faces look to the door at the same time, caught white-handed, and Lola breaks out into uproarious laughter, snapping a quick picture on her phone. "I thought you was baking?"

"We was..." Ben looks hopelessly at the kitchens around them, but a smile stays firmly on his face. Gleaming metal surfaces are gone, and the rack of clean dishes are buried in white. 

"Come on, madam, lets get you cleaned up!" Lola tiptoes in as far as she dares to grab Lexi's hand and lead her back out into the hallway. 

She points back into the room. "But Daddy and Callum-"

"-need to clean up your mess, don't they? Come on, you can see them in a bit." She winks at Ben, and again, Callum knows he's missing something. 

"Sorry about... all this." Ben gestures around them - it does look like a bomb's hit it. 

Callum waves him off. "Don't worry about it." He watched as Ben grabbed a dishcloth, ran it under the tap and started scrubbing the counter. Ben's jeans strained around his arse, and Callum was suddenly finding it difficult to look anywhere else. "What are you doing?"

"...cleaning up?"

Callum sighed and snatched the dishcloth off him. "That's my job, Ben, go and be with your family."

"But then who will help you, idiot?" Ben smirked, but Callum was already running the tap to re-wash the dishes. He didn't turn around when he spoke again. 

"I don't need help, honestly, it'll only take me a few minutes. This is what I'm paid to do." Callum pauses. "Why don't you have other kitchen staff?" He's wondered since he arrived yesterday, but never actually remembered to ask when he was around the family. 

"We like to, ah, keep our circle small. And don't be silly, course I'll help ya." Ben found another dishcloth and took his place next to Callum, drying the wet plates and putting them on a clean bit of the counter. Every so often he'd bump their hips together, and Callum would smile past himself, causing a smile to spread on Ben's own face. 

In no time at all the kitchen was almost spotless for the third time that day, and Callum subversively found himself wishing it was messier, just so he could spend more time with Ben. Lexi must have the magic touch; the first day, he was a nightmare, but that had completely flipped on it's head now. "Think we're about done. I reckon we make a good team, eh?"

It takes a moment for Callum to register that Ben's spoken, but when he does, he only manages a bit of a laugh. He notices Ben's face drop ever so slightly, and he berates himself for causing it. He tries to smooth it out with, "you didn't 'ave to do that."

"I wanted to! Perfect little housewife, me!" He winks and throws an arm around Callum, stretching up on his toes to reach. They lock eyes and Callum slowly bends down until Ben's arm can reach his shoulders comfortably. Ben scoffs. "Oh, fuck off!" but his voice holds a teasing note. 

"Aye, Callum, mate, ya seen-" Jay snorted. "Oh, ya already found him, eh?" Ben and Callum both looked up like a deer in headlights, giddy smiles all but disappeared. 

Jay opens his mouth, most likely to offer another taunt, but Ben points a finger at him before he can manage to get it out. "Can it."

Jay shakes his head. "Ya needed."

Ben looks up at Callum through dark lashes, looking apologetic. "I'll see ya later, Callum, yeah? Thanks for that, sorry for messin' ya about." Ben scuffs his shoe against the floor, looking down at it, his face colouring. Callum tilts his head, aware of a fond smile on his lips. 

"Nah, don't worry, no trouble." A tiny squeak escapes from Jay's mouth and he's pulling Ben away before anyone can get another word in.


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the party gets underway, and callum’s mental health takes a turn for the worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: beginnings of a panic attack 
> 
> wow sorry this literally took like almost 2 weeks. i would give a reason but i literally don’t have one. anyway this is really where the story starts! really hope it isn’t just pure shite. i have it roughly planned out, but nothing’s really set in stone, and i’m literally so indecisive that this could turn into a jay/louise at this point (it won’t. don’t worry.)
> 
> try and enjoy this mess! :)
> 
> ps. i’m shit at describing boats??? like i have literally no knowledge of yachts and shit but if u just google luxury yacht and see like the decks and stuff that’s what i’m aiming for 
> 
> pps. the appeal would never get brought forward cos the uk legal system is in pieces, but just pretend, this is fic x

Callum's no further on with the food order for Lisbon on Wednesday, and he needs to have it ordered by Thursday if they expect it at the harbour on Friday. To say he's stressed is the understatement of the century. Balled up paper is strewn all around the bin where Callum has loosely chucked them, and the pile continues to grow. 

He deliberates between tuna finger sandwiches or egg mayo for an embarrassingly long time, before coming to the conclusion that both are horrible, and he needs help, fast. How he finds himself knocking on Ben's door he'll never know. 

"I really, really need help with this _fuckin'_ menu. I know yer said yer wouldn't, but just a general idea, anythin', please-"

Ben's still in his pyjamas, but he looks like he'd been awake for a while. His hair's a little scruffy, and Callum's mesmerised. He lets out a yawn, cutting Callum off, "Course I'll 'elp."

"Ya will?"

"I ain't a complete dick," he shrugs. 

"I never- um, thanks, yeah, great." He stands there awkwardly for a moment or three. Ben puts a hand on his arm. 

"Let's go and sit up top." Ben slips his feet into Star Wars slippers and steps out of his room without bothering to change. 

Callum looks him up and down. "Now?"

"Yeah." He must see something in Callum's face, as he holds up his hands, "Most people on 'ere have seen me in a worse state than in my jammies, I'll tell ya that for free."

They sit at either ends of the couch at the back of the boat, at the very top near the control room. There's a canopy over it, and little fairy lights that compliment the sunrise, or sunset, as they‘re more likely intended. It's all very intimate and peaceful, and Callum speaks suddenly, "How did ya make ya money?"

Ben looks at Callum in surprise."God, sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

Ben shrugs. "Started off in car sales, then dad moved on to real estate, hotels and stuff. Pretty standard."

"Yeah, I guess superyachts are the norm these days." Callum's voice is laden with sarcasm, and he's smirking a little. 

Ben snorts, pointing a finger at Callum. "Ya lucky ya cute, mista." Callum's smile fades. Ben called him cute. Ben. Him. Cute. He froze. 

Ben's face had dropped too, obviously realising what he's said, but it relaxes when Callum breaks into the brightest smile ever. That will be the visible extent of his explosion of affection for Ben, he decides. At least for now. 

Ben laughs, and shuffles closer to Callum. He eyes him warily, and upon seeing no objection from the older man, he scoots closer still, so their knees are touching. He's beaming down at his lap, and then Phil appears on the deck below. Ben shoots back to the other end of the couch as Phil looks up and spots them. 

His face is full of disdain towards Ben, and a quick glance at Ben tells Callum he's terrified. His breathing has sped up, and his leg is bouncing restlessly. Phil stares threateningly for a few seconds before disappearing back underneath them, and Ben lets out a breath. "Sorry, I think- I need to go. Um, if yer still not sure, just, like, party food? Maybe? Sorry, that wasn't very- um-" 

It's all Ben can do to shake his head and run off. Callum waits for a little while before he tries to find the kitchen to get started on the breakfast. As he rounds a corner he bumps into the last person he wants to speak to right now, Phil. 

"Eh, mate, if Ben's givin' yer any trouble, harassin' yer and stuff, just let me know, yeah? Wouldn't be the first time he's done stuff like that, okay?"

Callum tries to mask his annoyance at Phil's words. "He ain't harassin' me at all, don't worry." He tries to leave, but the older man sticks an arm out. 

"If he does, anythin' at all, you come straight to me, I'll put 'im in 'is place."

"Uh, yeah..." Callum can't get away from the conversation faster. 

*

Two days later, Callum's spending the day in the kitchen for the party. He'd finally decided on a menu, no thanks to Ben - in fact, he'd barely seen him since that morning with Phil. Although, despite his anger at Ben's unwillingness on the surface, Callum wasn't really holding anything against him, he was actually thrilled with the final result he'd achieved all on his own. He knew Ben had his own problems to deal with. 

They'd docked in Lisbon a couple of hours earlier, and the food had been delivered within minutes of arriving. Callum supposes having as much money as the Mitchells meant a lot of influence, and it has him in awe and terrifies him both at the same time. 

Before he can get started with the preparations, Mick meets him in one of the many reception rooms. Callum was told it was urgent, and however reluctant he is (ideally he wants to get on with cooking) he's conscious he hasn't seen Mick since that first day, and to tell the truth he just misses his mate. 

Mick's looking a little shifty as Callum takes a seat. "So... how's it all going?"

"It's great, mate. Can't thank ya enough." Callum says genuinely. He was honestly surprised how much he'd enjoyed his short time in the job. He frowns as Mick looks to the side with a little sigh. 

"Ah, glad yer enjoyin' it..." He pauses, but he looks like he's going to continue, so Callum doesn't interrupt. Mick rubs at the scruff on his face, staring into the distance. "Listen, 'alfway, the court have brought the appeal forward to tomorrow..."

"That's brilliant!" Mick still looks utterly despondent and Callum wonders if he's said the wrong thing. "Isn't it?"

"Yeah, no, yeah, it's great, I'm leavin' for the airport now."

"So what's the problem, Mick, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

All of a sudden, Mick caves in on himself, tears rushing out like a dam had been broken, and Callum's hand instantly goes to his shoulder in support. It's disconcerting to see his friend like this, even more so to know he can't do anything to help. "I- I thought I'd have a bit longer to prepare meself, yeno, but-" He takes another pause to draw a breath, pull himself together. "It's just 'ard..."

"Anythin', anythin' at all, Mick, just call. In fact, if ya want me to come with you-"

"Nah, Halfway, you stay 'ere, get in their good graces before ya try anything." Callum laughs at his weak attempt at humour, and Mick brightens a little. "Seriously, I swear, I'm okay, just a bit run down."

"I'm only one, call away..." Callum sings, and Mick yelps, clapping his hands over his ears with a mocking grin. The tears are almost dried, so Callum pulls him into a hug. "I'll see ya later, mate."

"Yeah, yeah, later, 'alfway."

"Good luck!" Callum calls just as the door shuts. He slumps back in the chair, a bit emotionally drained, but soon realises he needs to get a move on if all the food's going to be ready for this bloody party. 

When he arrives at the kitchen a young lad tells him he's been sent to help out however he can, and he recognises him as one of the service staff. "Sent by who?"

"Ben, blud. Bare threatened by 'im." Callum's a little shocked, but only a little. He gives the lad, Theo, some chopping to do while Callum works on the more difficult stuff. As they work away (making rather painful small talk) the noise from outside gradually increases as more and more people arrive. 

Then the music gets going, and Callum's never heard more of a mixed bag of songs, and he can't say he's enjoying it. An example: Bad Romance (one of the few he actually knows) followed by some awful rap that Theo knows every word to. It understandably only takes a couple of songs before he wants to rip his ears off of the side of his head. 

When he's satisfied everything's going to plan and there's a lull in the workload, he takes a break to make his way up to the top deck. He dodges drunken guests everywhere, and eventually settles in a corner next to the railings where he can enjoy the fresh air in relative peace. 

He watches the party from afar. A dance floor has been set up right in the middle, and Keanu is thoroughly embarrassing himself attempting some dance from that TikTok thing Callum's always hearing about. Louise is nowhere to be seen, but Sharon's right up there with him, cheering and dancing alongside. 

Phil's stood a little way away, talking to a group of men in suits that probably cost more than Callum's entire pay package. They laugh politely at even the most unfunny of jokes, and it's obvious who's wearing the pants in the situation. 

Everyone is very clearly drunk, and Callum's just about to head back inside when a weight is thrown against him from the side. 

"Cal! Yer- yer food is nice!" Callum can smell the alcohol on Ben, and grabs onto his arms to keep the swaying man from falling. 

"Have ya eaten enough of it, cos-" _You're pretty drunk,_ were to be his next words, but Ben's placed his hands on either side of Callum's face, and he blanks. Even in his intoxicated state, his touch is beyond gentle, and he stares into Callum's eyes with such na intensity that Callum shivers. 

The moment is over before it's even begun, and Ben is draping himself over Callum for support. "God, yer well fit, you!"

"Ben, you're drunk-"

"No, I'm- Jay!" Ben must spot his friend, and he staggers away behind Callum. The older man rolls his eyes, leaning his head back on the wall with a little chuckle. Ben still manages to charm him in the depths of inebriation. He pushes off the wall to go and relieve Theo of his duties, let him off for the night, but he stops. 

Two flashes of blonde, one considerably shorter and fatter than the other, catch his eye in a dark corner behind the DJ's booth. Callum doesn't want to invade the people's privacy, but then the shorter one turns around, and it's Sharon. Callum's eyes flick back to the dance floor, and sure enough, Sharon's nowhere to be seen. Oddly enough, neither is Keanu, but Phil is still ‘entertaining’.

A guest walks in front of his view of Sharon and the mystery man for a moment, but when they've moved, Keanu's face is clearly visible, and he has his hands on Sharon's baby bump. At this point, alarm bells are blaring in Callum's brain, willing him to leave, get away before he sees anything really incriminating. 

But his feet won't comply, and he witnesses Keanu swoop down and capture Sharon in a kiss in horror. He frantically looks at Phil, praying him to notice his gaze and catch the pair red handed, so Callum would be off the hook. Alas, he doesn't, and Callum forces his feet to take him back down into the corridor he first came from. 

He can barely think. He feels like he's just murdered someone and left the body out there for everyone to discover. At the same time, his mind is swirling with questions. Was this a one time thing, too drunk to know right from wrong? Maybe, but Keanu's fond gazes at the bump... are Sharon and Keanu together? Is... is the baby even Phil's?

He's panicking, and his heart rate increases to the point where he's almost exploding, and not in the good way. He doesn't go back to the kitchen, he races around trying to find an empty room. Sweat coats his body in the click of a finger, and with a terrible sinking feeling in his stomach, he realises he's having a panic attack.

A shrill voice calls his name, but he ignores it, pretends he hasn't heard. "Callum!" The voice sing-songs, "God, you're almost as deaf as Ben!" Lola catches up with him and drags him into a corner, but he can hardly hear what she's saying, his ears feel like they're stuffed with cotton wool, amplifying his own breathing but blocking everything else out.

He goes to push past her, but Lola stretches an arm out without looking up from her phone. She's looking for something, and lets out a little squeal of success when she finds it. "Listen to this," Lola presses play on the video, and Ben's voice instantly jumps out at him, slicing through the cotton wool. 

_"He's nice, yeah, I'd like to think we're mates."_

_"Mates, or mates mates?"_ The panic thrumming under his skin prevents him from recognising the second voice, and the uncertainty just grows his nausea. 

_"Well he_ is _fit, I ain't denying it."_

_"Course you ain't, ya whipped."_

_"I ain't whipped, I just like... hanging out with him."_

_"Leave off, ya look at him with all googly eyes."_

_"I don't!"_

Lola pauses the video and looks at him expectantly, but when she realises he isn't going to (can't) speak, she throws her hands out. "They were talking about you!"

It's too much for him to think about right now. He pushes past her a little more forcefully and takes off down the corridor.


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> callum creams ben up, and a lesson in table tennis ensues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woww i’m literally incapable of updating this in a normal amount of time aren’t i? anyway my plan for ch5 has basically written it for me, so expect that sooner than this one! as always, enjoy :)

Callum wakes up swaddled in blankets he knows he wrapped around himself the night before in an attempt to create some form of comfort. He's still shellshocked. Sharon and Keanu have managed to almost completely replace Ben in his thoughts, which is no easy feat these days, and Callum hates it. 

He hates the feeling of guilt as Phil congratulates him on the food after a late breakfast. The whole family are painfully hungover, and he could've sworn he saw Ben and Jay wearing matching sunglasses. The guilt builds when Phil thrusts a green box into his hand. "Honestly, smashing job, mate, have ya bonus, here-" 

It doesn't take a genius to work out what it is. It's clear from the rich emerald green colour, with the gold insignia on the top. He tries to give it back to Phil, but he's having none of it. Callum wants to be sick. A few minutes later, Ben finds him, and he's still staring at it. It's not every day you get handed a gold Rolex, for 'a job well done, and the knowledge that will continue, eh?'.

Ben pales, and snatches the watch off him. He holds it in his hands for a few seconds, but soon gives it back, and rushes off as soon as he'd appeared. Weird, Callum thinks, but it's not a cause for concern when it's competing with the weirdness he feels inside. 

He hates the way Keanu claps him on the shoulder and invites him to a table tennis tournament later, with Ben, Jay, Lola and Louise. It doesn't escape his notice that it's the two couples, then him and Ben. Ideally, he wants to avoid Keanu like the plague, but he can't let him know anything is wrong, so he reluctantly agrees. At least Ben will be there, he thinks. 

Now he knows, though, it's obvious, really. When they're somewhere off the coast of Spain and it's a bit warmer, the family are relaxing by the pool for real, coats nowhere in sight. He's working the pool bar, but it’s not really working, it's more like sunbathing, people watching, and the occasional pint pulling. 

Sharon and Keanu pick sun loungers next to each other, and soon enough are the only two in pool. Louise is sound asleep, and Callum can't blame her. Even he can hear Peggy crying every night. The pair in the pool can't keep their hands off each other, and it does pass as friendly, he'll admit, but now he doesn't miss the secretive glances, the touches that maybe go a little too far. 

He's part of this now, it's almost like he's part of the actual affair itself, and he feels terrible for it. Knowing things the rest of the family don't, it feels so wrong, yet he's not sure what he can do about it. Maybe he's got it all wrong, anyway, maybe they just made a mistake, one drunken night. Maybe Phil and Louise know, and they don't care, they know it wasn't on purpose. 

Although, if Phil was anything like his own dad, he wouldn't let something like that slide. Men like Phil and Jonno, and even Keanu, to some extent, are fuelled by pride. If they got wind of a betrayal, of someone undermining them... Callum wouldn't want to be in the room, let's just say that. That inference makes him all the more nervous that the thing between Sharon and Keanu is what he thinks it is. 

He resolves to ask him later, just to clear the air, make sure he doesn't have the wrong idea. "Surely it's too hot for all them clothes?" Ben's voice snaps him out of his thoughts, and the younger man is casually leaning on the bar, clad only in light grey swimming trunks and a pair of sunglasses, a different pair to the matching ones he and Jay were wearing earlier. 

"Recovered?" Callum teases. He doesn't know how to respond to Ben's actual question, so he deflects. Luckily, Ben takes the bait. 

"Don't. My 'eads pounding. I never want to drink again." Callum raises an eyebrow, and Ben shrugs. "Well, maybe not never ever." He laughs, and it settles into a smirk that Callum can't take his eyes off of. 

Ben produces a bottle of sun cream from nowhere and stands it on the bar. He winks, "Cream me up?" Callum nearly chokes on air, a sort of surprised squeak erupting from his throat. He shakes his head, probably excessively, but he can't emphasise it enough. 

"No. Nope. No way. Can't you ask Sharon? Or Keanu?" Callum curses himself for subconsciously stringing them together. He hurried to cover it up as best as he can. "Or anyone else?"

"Well, yes, but I want you to. Come on, you're halfway there already. It's not too hard." Ben's evil smirk lets him know that, no, he is not reading into his words too much. He means every one of his shameless innuendos, and Callum's sure they will make him blush for days. He stumbles over a (not-so) reluctant agreement. 

The bottle is thrust into his hand and Ben turns around. Callum's eyes drop far too low, considering he works for this man, for God's sake, but he has a really nice arse. Like, _really nice._ Like, Callum could just reach out and- "Seen something you like?"

Ben's lips are curled up ever so slightly at the corners, and Callum scolds himself for that being the first thing he notices about Ben's amused face that's now knowingly staring at him. He flushes pink. 

"As much as I fully endorse you eyeing me up, I am about to burn to a crisp, so if you wouldn't mind..."

Ben turns back around and Callum shakes his head violently. "I wasn't-" He shuts himself up before he says something he'll regret, something he's finding harder and harder by the day. He rubs a dollop into his fingertips and spreads it over the top of Ben's back, gently at first, but then he's using a little more pressure and- a soft moan falls from Ben's lips. 

It's the most irresistible sound Callum's ever heard, and he desperately wants to hear it again, and to know he's the one to cause it. But Ben tenses up beneath Callum's hands, the older man instinctively rubbing soothing circles into his back before they both realise what's happening.

Ben turns around suddenly, red in the face. "We can't-"

"I don't think-" 

They both try to speak at the same time. 

"I'll, um, ask Lola. Thanks." Ben snatches the sun cream bottle back and hurries away, back around the side of the pool. Callum's just thankful Phil was facing away from them. 

He could laugh at how ridiculous it was. He was putting bloody sun cream on the man, and they'd turned it into this strangely intimate moment. God, that's what it was, wasn't it? Intimate. They'd just shared an intimate moment. The realisation fills Callum with a tentative warmth. 

The rest of the day passes in a flash, and 7 comes around far too quickly. He's torn between the dread of facing Keanu, and the giddy excitement of seeing Ben again. He hurries to the bar anyway, where the table tennis table is tucked in the corner. 

"Winner stays on?" Jay picks up two bats and looks around, offering one to Callum. 

Before he can reach out and take it, Ben's already swiped it from Jay's hand and is around the other side of the table from him. "Yeah, I'll start." Callum frowns, but then Ben shoots him a wink, and he's not so mad anymore. 

Louise, however, lets out a huff. "Ben, if you start we'll never- !"

Ben holds out a finger to silence her. "Hush, dear sister."

She rolls her eyes. "Tit."

"Eh?" Ben cups a hand behind his ear, like he hasn't heard, still looking relaxed, even entertained by the situation. However, Louise is going red in the face, and Keanu's doing fuck all to try and mollify the siblings, so Callum clears his throat. 

"I'll do drinks, yeah? What you all having?" 5 heads turn to look at Callum all at the same time, and he suddenly feels very out of place. He can't shake the knowledge that these people, technically, are his bosses, no matter how friendly they've all become. 

Lola smiles, eyes kind. "Yeah, I'll give you a hand. Orders?" Nobody moves for another moment, but then Jay pipes up, and then they're making their way across the room to the bar with a strict list to remember. "Sorry, I reckon this is a bit weird for ya."

"A bit, yeah..." he trails off, and instantly wonders why people hang around with him. He is literally incapable of conversation. "Um, do ya do this often? Invite, like, staff, I mean."

"Never. Ben begged though, not that it took much begging. I like ya, Callum. I reckon they all do. I know ya are, but ya don't feel like staff, ya know? It's nice to have a fresh face." Lola shrugs and reaches down for a glass, letting out a little laugh. "Even if no one did like ya, Lexi adores ya."

Callum stops dead. "Wait, really?"

"Yeah, ya all she ever talks about after that bloody flour fight."

He laughs nervously. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that."

"No, she keeps asking when she'll see you again. Maybe youse can make something proper next time."

"Yeah, yeah, that- yeah." Callum's all warm and fuzzy even without any alcohol, and Lola notices a blush creeping up his neck. When they return with the drinks, Ben has already beaten Jay and is onto Keanu. 

"What's the score?" Lola drops onto a couch beside Jay and tucks herself into his side; he presses his lips to her temple and Callum smiles softly. He's not one for PDA really, but he can't deny, when it's not all sloppy and in your face, it looks rather appealing. 

Keanu grunts, "9-2." Ben smashes the ball off Keanu's side of the table and across the room, and smirks triumphantly. 

"10-2," he amends. Callum just sips his beer. 

There's minimal chatter as the little tournament continues, Ben quickly finishing up with Keanu before absolutely smashing Louise. Lola's far better than the two previous challengers, and the scoreboard is tight, but it's not quite enough to beat him. She passes the bat over to Callum with a roll of the eyes, "Good luck," she groans, settling back next to Jay and mumbling about how 'Ben shouldn't get to play, he's too good for us, it's no fun'. 

The familiar weight of the bat in Callum's hand makes him smile, and he makes the first serve across the table. He loses the first point, and the second, but he wins the next four. Everyone is suitably impressed, any remaining conversations decidedly abandoned. It's level at 9 all, and Callum knows he needs the next two points to win.

It takes him two minutes tops to snatch those two points right from under Ben's nose, and the younger man slams the bat down on the table. "Bollocks!" He's got a hint of a smile on his face, but his body language is aggressive. Callum can't tell the intent behind the gesture, and he doesn't like it. 

Ben's body relaxes, however, but the rest of the group are still in shock. Louise nudges his shoulder. "Jesus, Callum, ya a right black horse, ain't ya!" 

Ben snorts. "It's dark horse, idiot." 

Callum shrugs, shaking his head a little, but his lips twitch into a smile, and he can't hide his glee anymore, any previous resignation about the night well and truly gone. 

"Well, I gotta get the next round after that, don't I?" Ben huffs, and him and Jay go off behind the bar. Louise announces she's going to the toilet, and Lola promptly agrees to go with her, leaving him and Keanu. Just what he didn't want. 

Keanu breaks the thin veil of tension first with a chuckle, "Who'd have thought, eh? It's took us ages to even come close to Ben, and you rock up and beat him on your first go!"

"Not my first rodeo," Callum smirks, tapping the side of his nose like he's keeping a secret. Well, he is. He suddenly remembers the reason for his reluctance for tonight, and decides that now is as good a time as any. 

He sighs, and Keanu leans in, intrigued by the sudden change in mood. "Look, mate, I don't want to overstep or anything, but in Lisbon the other day, I, uh..."

"What? Did something happen?" Callum can see the panic rising in Keanu, and in that moment, he knows that he knows that he knows. 

"No, no! It's just... I saw you and Sharon, behind the DJ's booth?"

Keanu's face turns cold with recognition. "What did you see?" His voice is calm, too calm. 

Callum shakes his head, "Nothing, nothing-"

Keanu cuts him off, hissing, "What... did you... see!" 

"Well, uh, I saw you, um, kiss? And you were holding her bump," Fear is setting in at the sight of Keanu's face, maddening by the second, and Callum attempts to backtrack, but he knows he's gone too far, "But I just wanted to make sure I didn't have-"

Keanu suddenly surges forward and grabs Callum by the scruff of his neck. "A word of this to anyone, and I... will kill... you. Understand?" Callum nods, swallowing the lump in his throat as Ben and Jay reappear.


End file.
